Ginger Menace Beginnings
by Arielara Lupin
Summary: One day, Lily brought home a furry orange menace. The kitten became part of the little family. After that Halloween. Night, no one was sure what happened to the cat. This is his story, and how he found his way home. I do not r chsracters. Just love the theory


James was sitting at the kitchen table enjoying his morning cup of coffee. Harry had gotten up early and was currently enjoying stuffing bits of mashed bananas and pancakes in his mouth. "Harry, son, your meant to eat that, not wear it. Really, your mama will be cross if she comes home sees you so messy." James said with a crooked grin. Harry just giggled and stuffed another piece in his mouth saying "Mama." A chuckle escaped James, "Yes Harry, Mama. Mama went out to get a new book for you."

Once Harry had finished his breakfast, James began cleaning up the mess. He heard the front door opening, and the sound of someone entering. A bang, and a muffled curse let him know Lily had tripped over his broom in the hall again. He winches at the thought of the hex he probably has coming for that.

"James, Darling, where are you and Harry? I've gotten you a surprise!" Lily exclaimed from the foyer. "In here Lily Flower, Harry's just finished his breakfast." James called out. Lily makes her way into the kitchen holding a rather beat up box. She placed the box on the table and reached for Harry. "Come here messy boy! Did you managed to get any of your breakfast in your mouth?"

James watched his wife tend to their son with an adoring gaze. He was quite happy with his sweet little family. Most days he was able to forget about the threat of looming danger. There was a war coming, more people were disappearing every day. James only hoped he was strong enough to protect his family.

He was startled from his thoughts when the box began to move and make noise. "Um, Lily Flower? Is that box supposed to do that? Don't tell me Peter made you mad and you captured him in his animagus form again!" Lily turned from the kitchen sink, Harry on her hip. "It's not Peter. Though he probably won't like it much either. I saw it today and just had to. Go ahead open it!" James tentatively reached out and opened a flap on the box. An little orange grumpy face peered out at him. "A kitten? You got me a kitten?" James asked as he reached in the box to pick it up. Lily smiled, "You always talk so fondly of the kneazle your parents had when you were growing up. I know he isn't a full kneazle, but I couldn't resist him. I want Harry to have the same types of fond memories of his childhood too."

James held the kneazle close and rubbed its tiny head. "Well he is awfully cute! Thank you for being so sweet Lily. I know Harry will a happy childhood too. After all, he has us and his uncles to help raise him!" Lily smiled as she held Harry's hand out to the kneazle. "Harry, meet your new friend. We will have to name him yet. What should we call him?" Harry happily petted the kitten and babbled, "Cat!" His parents laughed. The sound of the floo could be heard coming from the living room.

The little orange grumpy face peered up at the tiny human. He tolerated the slightly sticky fingers petting him. Suddenly he was distracted by the smell of a rat. Perhaps he could catch it and show his humans just how lucky they were to have him around. He leapt out of the big mans arms and bounded into the room with the floo. He was confused to find not a rat, but a man. The man shrieked upon seeing him and jumped on a chair. The kitten looked at the cowardly man and tossed his head up and proceeded to look for the rat he was sure was around somewhere.

James entered the room and shook his head laughing at Peter. "You do realize you are bigger than him right now, right Pete? He can't hurt you unless you are in your animagus form."

Peter cautiously got down and walked around the cat, staring at him until he reached the door before making a hasty retreat. Lily watched the whole scene, she walked over, rubbed the kittens head, "Good boy. Between you and me, he gives me the creeps too."

Time passed by, and the kitten was introduced to the other friends the family had. The man with long black hair who smelled like dog. The nervous man who smelled of rat that avoided him. The scarred man who smelled like a wolf running thru the woods. A young married couple with their son the same age as his tiny human that smelled like bubble gum. All the scents, the growing kitten stored in his memory so he could identify his new family.

Months went by and the family was forced to go into hiding. The wolf smelling man no longer came to visit. The nervous rat man was more nervous than usual. The cat suspected it had less to do with him than he claimed.

His big human and his mistress doted on his tiny human. He often spent time curled up watching as they played with the tiny human. But one night a man broke into the families new home, and the kitten hid. There was a lot of noise and light. When it was over, the kitten came out of hiding and went searching for his humans.

He found his big human sprawled on the floor, eyes open, and unseeing. Knowing it was too late, the kitten pressed on. He entered the nursery to see his tiny human crying in his crib, his mistress in much the same state as her husband.

Pressing himself into the bars he rubbed against his tiny human trying to console him. Finally an idea occurred to the cat. He would bring the dog smelling man to his tiny human. He always made him smile. The cat set off in search of the dog smelling man, never knowing the events that happened while he was searching. He returned home to find his tiny human gone, and himself all alone. The kitten cried out over and over, yelling for his tiny human. Hands reached out to pick him up, but he didn't know this person at all. The new person took him back home and gave him a comfy place to rest, and a saucer of milk.

Years passed, the kitten grew up, but never forgot his first family. He thought about him all the time. He searched for his human all the time. The person who had took him home got fed up. The cat was given to a man who ran a pet shop, and the man put him up for sale. The cat did not appreciate it. He wanted to search for his not so tiny now human. He needed to bring him to the man who smelled like a dog. He snarled and scratched anytime someone tried to pick him up. He was not going anywhere with anyone else.

That was until the day he caught the scent of his not so tiny human. Oh he knew it wasn't him, but it smelled strongly of him, meaning they were close to him. The cat allowed the girl who smelled like his not so tiny human and parchment to pick him up and cuddle him. The shopkeep was so flabbergasted he sent the girl quickly on her way, arms full of orange grumpy faced kneazle.

It was a short time later the girl boarded a train and sat his cage down, releasing him into the compartment. The door opened and the cat was overjoyed to smell his not so tiny human. His eyes sought after his once tiny human. He could tell the boy was not happy, and was clearly underfed. The humans who had taken him were failing. He would most definitely have to take him to the man who smelled like dog. Or maybe even the wolf smelling one. Either would take better care of his human. Next came the smell of the rat man. But that was impossible, rat man was dead he had heard. He stared at the rat clutched in the red heads hands. That sneaky slimy rat was still alive! He had to catch him! Then he would take him to the dog smelling man, or the wolf smelling man. They would set everything right again! He stared at the rat contemplating his options. One day soon he would get him. It was just a matter of time until he captured it.


End file.
